Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder novel Chapter 647

Chapter 147 : Wedding Day

*Lena*

“Lexi drank a whole bottle," Mom said happily as she squeezed my shoulders, her eyes meeting mine in the mirror.

“No way! I didn't think she would!" I sighed with relief as I reached for a makeup brush and blush, watching as Mom padded across the room to gaze out of the window at the front garden. “Who fed her? Xander?"

“No, not Xander. She broke his heart, I think. She's taken a liking to Chrissy, the kitchen maid."

I smiled at the thought of Chrissy's cheeks pinkening with the glory of getting Alexis, who had so far refused anything but my breasts, drinking from a bottle for the first time. Chrissy had served me, Abigail, and Elaine lemonade and sandwiches on the day Viv and Heather showed up at the castle, and since then had been an incredible help with Alexis while Xander and I readied for our upcoming wedding.

Xander had mentioned possibly offering her a position at his castle in Egoren as Alexis's nanny, and I was hoping she'd accept. At first, I hadn't wanted a nanny. I didn't like the idea of not always being available for our child.

But I was going to be a Luna Queen. I needed someone I could trust in my corner to care for her when I wasn't around, even if those times were far and few between.

“She's sleeping now."

“Good, poor thing. It's been a very long morning," I breathed, dusting my cheeks with blush. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, my chest tightening at the woman staring back at me. My eyes had once been such a pale gray they were nearly silver, and my hair had always been a soft, straight white. I ran my fingers over the sunstone necklace hanging around my neck, the stone warm to the touch. Inside the stone, my powers lingered, tucked away and safe for when I needed them again.

The Night God had gifted me with something I never imagined I'd have the opportunity to be, without constantly being weighed down by powers I didn't understand.

He'd made me… Lena–just Lena.

I dusted my eyelids with pale pink eyeshadow, which made the blue in my eyes shimmer. They were bluer than they'd ever been, and against the white of the silk shift I was wearing, my hair was a pale gold as the midday sun sparkled over my skin.

“How long?" I asked.

Mom turned around, a loving smile touching her lips.

“We need to get you in your dress, honey. We have to be at the cathedral in an hour."

An hour, that was it.

I was an hour away from becoming Xander's wife.

***

Mom's tears were silent, and she quickly dabbed them away with a tissue as I stood in front of all of my friends, my grandmother, my aunts, and my mom. My aunt Kacidra clasped my mom's hand and squeezed, whispering something inaudible as Clare and Bethany worked to fasten a veil onto the moonstone and diamond tiara at the crown of my head.

“I'm stunned, to be honest," Abigail grinned as Clare and Bethany draped the floor-length veil over my shoulders and turned me to face the group of women. “You had a baby like, two weeks ago!"

“She's sucking the life out of me," I laughed, trying not to cry as I met my mom's eyes. I'd never seen her smile the way she was smiling now, and my heart squeezed to her the sheer joy behind her gaze.

The dress had been taken in around the waist but was still pretty… fluffy. I patted my sleeves down, much to the chagrin of my friends, who scolded me and rushed to my side to fluff the fabric back into place.

“I'm a cupcake!"

“Not even," Elaine teased, straightening the sunstone necklace. “More like a… cream puff, an expensive one!"

Clare snorted with laughter, and I frowned, trying to smooth the fabric down again.

There was a knock at the door and a hush swept over the room.

“It's me," Xander said after a moment, and then the room erupted into noise once again.

“Do NOT come in here, Xander!" Abigail said firmly, making her way toward the door.

“I'd like to talk to my soon-to-be wife for a moment, alone–"

“It's not possible. It's bad luck to see her in her dress!" Viv chirped, rushing up beside Abigail as she opened the door a crack and stuck her head into the hallway.

They were arguing with Xander, who was arguing right back. I looked around, noticing Maeve rolling her eyes as she began to shoo everyone out of the room.

“Just stay behind the door. You can talk and not look at each other, right?" Kacidra laughed, giving me a loving smile as she escorted my friends out of the room. Kacidra's short blonde hair trembled as she laughed at something Clare had said as they left, leaving me standing nearly alone, save for my mother.

“Alexis is riding to the cathedral with me, Maeve, and Troy," she said as she hurried over to me, taking my hands in hers. “She'll be fine–"

“I know," I said, my vision blurring through tears.

Holy s**t, this was it. This was really happening.

I heard the murmured voices of my friends and family as they teased Xander in the hallway. Everyone would be loading up in the parade of fancy cars taking them to the cathedral in Mirage in a matter of minutes.

I knew my dad would be waiting for me in the foyer. We'd be riding into town together, the Alpha King of Valoria escorting his princess to the altar while we were made to wave at the crowds that had been gathering all morning. It felt like a circus, if I was being honest. But soon we'd be back at the castle for a private reception with everyone we loved.

“I love you, Mom," I sniffed, and she gripped my hands a little tighter. A single tear rolled down my cheek and she dabbed it away.

“I love you too. I'm so proud of you. I'm so happy for you, honey."

She let go of my hands and walked away, looking over her shoulder once before disappearing through the door. It closed behind her, leaving me alone.

I waited for a moment, listening as Mom's voice retreated down the hallway. Xander's soft laugh of a reply traveled beneath the door, instantly easing the anxiety rippling through my body. I glanced at myself in the mirror once more, looking like a cloud of white and jewels. I huffed a breath, patting my fluffy shoulders as I walked toward the door, my white satin shoes tapping on the floor.

I pressed my hands against the door, aching to just turn the knob and look at him.

We hadn't slept next to each other last night. He'd been dragged out of the castle for a night on the town with Will, Adrian, and Charlie. Even Gideon and Ben had gone with them. Where, I didn't know. I'd stayed here at the castle being pampered by my friends.

I woke this morning and snuggled Alexis in bed until the clock chimed seven, and then all of my friends and female family members funneled through my door.

There hadn't been a moment of silence since then.

“Are you alone?" Xander asked, mere inches of wood separating us.

“Yeah, I am," I replied, a little breathless. “I thought you left for the cathedral already?"

“I have–" he paused, and a smile swept over my lips as I imagined him looking down at his watch. “I have exactly two minutes and forty-eight seconds until Troy, Adrian, and Charlie drag me to the car. Listen, I… I know we agreed to say the official vows of the Church, but I wanted to… I needed to vow something to you first. A few things."

My stomach tightened, whether from shock or excitement, I didn't know.

“Lena," he breathed, and the door shook as he shifted his weight behind it. I felt as though he was pressing his hands to the door just like I was, his hands over my own. “I was the biggest i***t when we first met. I did a lot of stupid things that I can't take back, and I can't promise you I'll stop making dumb decisions–"

“These are some vows–"

“Just listen to me for a moment," he laughed.

I pressed my lips together, unable to stop myself from smiling.

“I love you. I've loved you since the moment I saw you, and I mean that, and I always will. I knew you were my mate then, even if I was forcing myself to not believe it. You have been the biggest pain in my ass but also–"

“Xander!"

“But also the light of my world. The light to my shadow. My mate. My fated mate."

I pressed my forehead to the door, my eyes misting with silent tears.

“I'll never even come close to deserving you, but I promise… I vow to you that I will never stop trying. Every day for the rest of my f*****g life, I promise I will try to be the mate that you deserve. And when we're old and gray, and our grandchildren's grandchildren have grown.... When it's time for you to take your place with the Gods, Lena… I'll go. I'll gladly go into death knowing I got to spend my days with you, loving you."

Tears began to trickle down my cheeks as my fingers curled into fists. One of my hands shot to the doorknob, but I heard footsteps in the hallway beyond the door. Adrian's voice was lifted in concern, something about already running late.

“I love you," he repeated, his voice a whisper. “I'll see you soon."

His footsteps receded down the hallway, my hand still resting on the doorknob. I straightened up, dabbing at my tears with the backs of my hands.

I took a deep breath and opened the door, finding the hallway empty. The castle itself seemed empty. I was alone.

I walked down the hallway, the train of my dress and veil fluttering over the stone pavers. I was just about to turn the corner into the foyer when my dad walked backward into view, motioning for me to stop.

His eyes were locked on mine, tears shining in the light of the chandelier above his head.

I heard car doors shutting, then gravel crunching as a car left the driveway.

“Alright, it's safe for you to come out now," he said softly. “That is… quite a dress."

“Don't make fun of me," I pouted, sniffing as I dabbed at a fresh batch of tears. They were happy tears, brought on by the way my dad was looking at me right now.

He extended his hand, and I took it, letting him lead me out into the foyer. His emerald green sports car was running idle just within view of the two-story front doors leading out of the castle, the top down, ready to drive me through our kingdom to the altar.

He looked behind us at the stairwell, where stained glass stretched into the upper floors of the castle. I followed his gaze, noticing how he was lingering on the image of the Moon Goddess.

“When you were a baby, I'd stand on that landing and let you run your hands over the glass," he said, his eyes lingering on a distant memory. “I told you a few times… that that was you–the Goddess."

“Really?"

He nodded, then shrugged, meeting my eye again.

“Your mother and I had no idea what we were doing in so many ways, Lena. There was a time when we weren't sure who you'd be, what you'd have to do. We wondered if you'd even be able to stay with us, or if you'd come of age and be whisked away by the gods. It seems silly, now. But we were never afraid of you. We were always afraid of losing you, or of you losing yourself."

I knitted my fingers in his, desperately trying not to cry again.

“I didn't think I'd ever see you in a wedding dress," he said, his voice breaking on the words. He was crying now, a few tears rolling off his lashes.

“Dad," I whimpered, reaching past him for the box of tissues sitting on one of the side tables in the foyer.

I dabbed my eyes for what felt like the millionth time today as he led me out onto the front porch. I could hear the crowds from where we stood. There would be people lining the streets to catch a glimpse of their reclusive princess on her wedding day.

“I'm kind of scared," I said honestly.

“Don't be," he breathed, tucking a tissue in his pocket. “You've faced death, honey. Today is about love and life. Come on. Maeve will kill us if we're late, and I think it's going to take a minute to fit your dress in the car."